Gotta wonder about Jeff Fahey and Marlee Matlin.
Here are two decent actors – expressive, appealing, hard-working – who went from enjoyable network series shows to substandard direct-to-video fare while seemingly at the top of their game.
"When Justice Fails" isn't as bad as some of their other DTV pictures – just try to sit through Fahey's "Absolute Zero" all the way through – but it requires too much patience and forgiveness from the viewer, without working hard enough to deserve it.
Fahey's a hard-boiled homicide detective and Matlin is a D.A. who somehow becomes the suspect in a spate of serial killings.
The movie begins to deteriorate once Fahey inevitably becomes romantically involved with Matlin, and yet, remains the lead detective on the case. Really, that's OK with the cops? Aside from a few "Yer throwin' yer career down the toilet!" admonitions from his scene-chewing captain, nobody seems to be too concerned about the really huge conflict of interest there.
Tsk-tsking the situation occasionally, too, is his new partner, who announces early on that he's gay, because Not That There's Anything Wrong With That.
As the movie chugs along, it becomes a decent, if pedestrian whodunit, as we're made to wonder if the killer might be Matlin, her creepy sign-language interpreter, her wacko diva mother, or even Fahey's partner.
The reveal isn't very surprising and only somewhat satisfying, as it leaves so many other questions unanswered.
Aside from Fahey and Matlin, who are charming as usual, most of the other actors are hammy and unappealing. The one exception is Canadian actor Carl Marotte as Fahey's partner, who has a pleasant Zachary Quinto aura about him.
The direction is heavy-handed and obvious. At one point, the camera shook so badly for no discernible reason, I wondered whether the cameraman may have zipped his fly with one hand and held the camera with the other.
If you're a fan of Fahey's or Matlin's it's worth a watch. Otherwise, "When Justice Fails" fails.
